Certificate

National Security Studies

Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs

Offered through the Gordon Institute, the certificate in National Security Studies may be awarded to both degree and non-degree seeking students who complete the requirements. For students pursuing a degree, the certificate is a complement to a student’s discipline or major area of studies. For non-degree seeking students, the certificate provides a means for understanding more about national security in the 21st century (the certificate may only be awarded to individuals who hold a Bachelor's Degree).

An Online Certificate in National Security Studies can be completed by applying for admission into the Jack D. Gordon Institute’s Intelligence Fellowship Program. The Fellowship is an initiative designed to prepare students for a career within (but not exclusive to) the federal government. A highly selective program, the Intelligence Fellowship will give students the opportunity to conduct research on real-world national security matters while taking academically rigorous coursework that will provide the foundation for a future of federal employment. In addition, all students selected to the program will be invited on an all-expenses paid mission to Washington D.C. for a tour of the Intelligence Community.

The Intelligence Fellowship is a workforce placement initiative that provides its students the professional development resources needed to pursue a career in the Intelligence Community. Students who complete the program will receive an accredited certificate in National Security Studies.

In addition to the academic requirements, students will be assigned a personal Mentor to help guide them through their research as well as prepare them professionally for a career in the federal government. These Mentors are current and former practitioners in the U.S. Intelligence Community.

The undegraduate certificate in National Security Studies requires completion of 18 credits, consisting of 2 fully online courses during the Fall semester, followed by 2 fully online courses in the Spring and 2 fully online courses in the Summer. A separate certificate requirement includes completion of a two-course foreign-language sequence or demonstration of the applicable skill level.

Additionally, as part of one of the Spring semester courses, program participants will participate in an Intelligence Career Seminar trip to Washington, D.C. during which they will visit various federal agencies to help them gain in-depth knowledge of the U.S. Intelligence Community and network with professionals in the field. The objective of the Intelligence Career Seminar is to assist students chart their own paths to a career in the National Security field!

Previous Intelligence Career Seminars have visited the following agencies: Central Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, Defense Intelligence Agency, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Marine Corps Intelligence Activity, Department of Treasury Office of Intelligence and Analysis, Department of State Bureau of Intelligence and Research, The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the National Counterterrorism Center, the National Security Agency, and Office of Naval Intelligence.

The cost of the program is $5,600 (subject to change) and includes program tuition, online course fees, and the costs associated with the Intelligence Career Seminar trip to Washington, D.C. (airfare, hotel charges and prearranged transportation to the IC agencies). Student use of public transportation or taxi service in the Washington, D.C. area are not covered by the cost of the program. Financial aid and scholarships may be applicable to this program.

Contact

For more information on the Intelligence Fellowship, please email Mr. Aldo Fonseca atalfonsec@fiu.edu